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March 01, 2010

Dirk is NBA's best of the week, but did they get the wrong Mav?

Dirk Nowitzki has been honored as the Western Conference player of the week, but you have to wonder if he was even the player of the week on his own team.

Might Jason Kidd have been a better choice?

Nowitzki was honored for the second time this season (also Nov. 9-15) and for the 12th time in his career. He led the Mavericks (39-21 overall) to a 4-0 week with wins at home against Indiana, L.A. Lakers and New Orleans, and in Atlanta.

Nowitzki averaged a league-best 31.8 points (.548 FG, .667 3FG, .971 FT), including 12.0 points in the fourth quarter, to go with 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He made 33 of his 34 attempts from the free throw line and saw a streak of 41 consecutive makes snapped in the third quarter of the New Orleans game.

And then there's Kidd. He had a triple-double, and not just any triple-double, but a 19-point, 17-assist, 16-rebound monster.

That in itself should have put him in the conversation. Kidd averaged 14 points, 10.5 assists and 8.8 rebounds for the week.